Abortion Cop-Out

Abortion Cop-Out

As expected, Amnesty Inter-national, the group that monitors human rights around the world, approved an abortion-rights policy at its biennial conference in Mexico City; the policy was first adopted this past spring.

Responding to criticism from the Vatican, as well as from American bishops, Amnesty issued a news release on June 14 saying that it does not promote abortion as a “universal right” and “remains silent on the rights and wrongs of abortion.” More recently, Kate Gilmore, Amnesty’s deputy secretary-general, criticized the Church’s opposition, holding that “our purpose invokes the law and the state, not God.”

We branded this response as “simply dishonest,” pointing out that abortion is a human rights issue, not a religious one.

In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, wherein it said, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” In 1959, the same body issued the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and in the Preamble of Resolution 1386, it said, “Whereas the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth….” (Our emphasis.) And in 1989, the same entity proclaimed that “every child has the inherent right to life.”

In short, Amnesty International has betrayed its mission by violating the most fundamental right of all—the right to be born. We urge Catholics to withdraw their support of this phony organization.